my '84 Tercel4wd stolen today!

General discussion about our beloved Tercel 4WD cars
terceldude
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Re: my '84 Tercel4wd stolen today!

Post by terceldude »

I'm very sorry to hear that Petros! :( Normally I would think the police could do a VIN search to locate your car and the thief. I hope you get it back! :)
K-Business
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: my '84 Tercel4wd stolen today!

Post by Petros »

you did not read the thread carefully, I got it back the next morning, cleaned out of my tools and a few personal items, and missing the battery. losing a day of work to deal with it was actually the most costly part, time and income I will not get back.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
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Ace
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My tercel:: '83 DLX 4WD Tercel wagon 3AC

Re: my '84 Tercel4wd stolen today!

Post by Ace »

On an older car the locks can get worn and sloppy so, and it may be possible to turn the lock with any key that fits by jiggling it around. An older car would be an easier steal because the thief figures it's less likely to have anti-theft features. So it's a good idea to consider a hidden kill switch as a cheap easy theft deterrent. Got me thinking I should maybe do this on my own Tercel.

Many many years ago I managed to lock myself out of my Tercel, left the keys in the ignition at a trailhead. There was no easy way to get inside short of breaking a window. A gal came along the trail back to the parking area and asked if I had a problem, and after brief discussion she said she had a Toyota, and I tried her car key in my door locks and did a lot of key jiggling with no success. I handed the key back but she suggested I try the tailgate lock. And I got it open! And retrieved my own key. So that's a lesson that other keys can open other locks, sometimes. All a thief needs to get into some older cars is a collection of different old keys to try out.
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
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Re: my '84 Tercel4wd stolen today!

Post by Petros »

I have found it nearly impossible to break into my Tercel without a key, without breaking something. but I have used the "worn key" trick a number of times, it helps sometimes to put some light lubricant in the key slot, than jiggle the key gently until it opens.

Once we had a Chrysler mini van, and a friend with a similar van, but newer locked her keys in the car. She was about to call a locksmith, and I said let me give it a try first. I put our mini van key in the door and wiggled it a bit, and the door unlocked. She was shocked and surprise, I did it so quickly it appeared I had a key for it. Than wanted to know how I did it...I told her "trade secret". But eventually relented, if you go though a large parking lot and try your key in all similar cars, chances are you will find one or two you can unlock. Likely would not work with the newer "security" type locks, but the older conventional keys often will work (or be close enough you can gently force it).

I keep thinking about the kill switch, as well as perhaps adding a little red blinking light on the dash, to make it look like a security system.

The other thing I thought of, that would be cheap to rig, is put the solonoid wire on a separate switch on the dash, in one of those blank places. so if you turn the key, dash lights come on, but when you turn it to start, nothing happens.

You can than wire the old key operated solenoid wire to a very load alarm, siren or the horn. So when someone turns the key to the "start" position the alarm goes off. to start you turn the key to "run", than push the separate starter switch. It would be automatic motion to start the car once you get used to it.

My horn does not work, so I would have to add something load and obnoxious to scare anyone off. I would have heard it go off out behind my office if I had such a device.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
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lannvouivre
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My tercel:: 2006 Pontiac Vibe
Location: Odessa, TX

Re: my '84 Tercel4wd stolen today!

Post by lannvouivre »

Use a Pontiac Vibe horn.
MEEP, MEEP!
Image
But...did you try hitting it with a hammer?
Ridlbox
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My tercel:: 1984 Toyota Tercel SR 5 custom aluminum rims 4 a motor custom rims Bluetooth stereo system
Location: Plymouth CA

Re: my '84 Tercel4wd stolen today!

Post by Ridlbox »

Never had nobody steal my whole car but they did come and steal the stereo out of it once glad you got your car back . The one key that I have my tercel will start three different tercels that I know of already luckily for me two out of three of those are mine I think the dead man switch is a perfect idea
i will find a tercel in a music video
That's my new goal 8)
terceldude
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Location: Wellesley, MA 02481 USA

Re: my '84 Tercel4wd stolen today!

Post by terceldude »

Petros wrote:you did not read the thread carefully, I got it back the next morning, cleaned out of my tools and a few personal items, and missing the battery. losing a day of work to deal with it was actually the most costly part, time and income I will not get back.
Ok, well glad you got it back and are celebrating! :)
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: my '84 Tercel4wd stolen today!

Post by Petros »

more mad than happy. we live in a small town that has not had much crime until recently. just a few weeks after my car was stolen, my wife had her cell phone stolen. She went to the place we go it and they determined that someone had defeated the pass code and was using it. It was shut down remotely, but someone was poking about in her emails, records and other personal information she was storing "in the cloud". (note: never store any personal or financial information on your computer, phone or "in the cloud", it is like you are broad casting the private information).

The local police do not seem to take property crimes very seriously,they could care less. And of course this attracts criminals from the big cities, costing all of us lots of lost time and money dealing with this onslaught of crime against those of us that struggle and work hard to make a living. I am about to go pound on our mayors desk, this small town is slowing being over run by drug dealers, homeless vagrants, and other undesirables. It is like all of the elected officials have gone soft in the head about what to do about it.

It has a been a very frustrating and angering month. I feel like going around armed and if I catch any miscreants in the act, put them out of their misery, and stopping all the misery they cause everyone else. Of course knowing the local law enforcement policy, I am the one that will get arrested.

Perhaps a baseball bat would be less prone to attract the attention of the local gendarmes.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
Ridlbox
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My tercel:: 1984 Toyota Tercel SR 5 custom aluminum rims 4 a motor custom rims Bluetooth stereo system
Location: Plymouth CA

Re: my '84 Tercel4wd stolen today!

Post by Ridlbox »

If you are planning on carrying around a baseball bat be sure to keep a glove and ball in your car so you do not get arrested for a weapon
i will find a tercel in a music video
That's my new goal 8)
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irowiki
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Re: my '84 Tercel4wd stolen today!

Post by irowiki »

Peter: with proper protection keeping something "in the cloud" or "on your computer" is fine.

Also is a good wakeup call for proper protection on phones. Ditch the 4 digit passcode, go for a long numeric or alphanumeric passphrase, encrypt your phone if it supports it, get two factor authentication if it supports it.

Problem is, the more protection you add, the more annoying the item in question is to use, which is why most people opt out of the protection.
Former Tercel Enthusiast (not a practical family car anymore but they still have a place in my heart)

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87 Corolla FX16, 105k
94 Jamboree RV (Ford E-350), 90k
95 Camry Wagon, 170k
97 4runner, 275k
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
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Re: my '84 Tercel4wd stolen today!

Post by Petros »

it does not matter, when you have private information on a lot of file servers, owned by others, that you have no control over, no matter what protection you put on it, it can be hacked, and you are vulnerable.

And the inconvenience and frankly trouble you constantly have to put up with, to protect yourself from a small number of miscreants, it really what is troubling me. The whole rest of the world has to pay for and be daily and regularly inconvenienced just to do your routine daily chores because of a handful of criminals who are out to find your info so they can resell it for a few bucks. If they manage to get through your security measures, than you loose lots of time and more money trying to correct it. The criminal gets perhaps $80 for reselling your info, you loose days and much more money trying to prevent it from happening again.

I also find it annoying that I get almost daily calls from people to want to "assist me with my up coming move", or give me an insurance quote, or design a web site for me, or loam me money. Leave me along please!!! I suspect many of them are just phishing, but worst of all if you allow them to give you a quote, you than get bombarded for many months with similar offers.

if law enforcement would hit these people hard, even just enough of them to get the others out of the business, than the rest of the world would not have to put up with this constant threat to our security and well being.

within one month my car was stolen and I lost personal items (as well as personal information on the registration and insurance info we are required to have in the car), plus tools and things I need to do my work, my wife lost her phone and had all our personnel information compromised, as well as all her contacts exposed, and my daughter (who lives on her own) had her bank account hacked and some stranger tried to buy $600 worth of concert tickets using her account (the bank stopped it). All appear to be unrelated, but all happened one after the other. Never have we had this kind of crime spree against us ever. I hope this does not become a daily trend, if so it means I will be having to make major changes in how we do business.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
Tercel__jon
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My tercel:: 1983 4wd Wagon

Re: my '84 Tercel4wd stolen today!

Post by Tercel__jon »

ARCHINSTL wrote:@ Tercel_jon:
Well, at least the kids had a discerning and sophisticated taste!
Tom M.
Oh no...Ive had offers from other idiots in this town to buy it. When asked why, they usually respond along the lines of "It would be perfect to destroy in my buddies field".

I hate them. All of them.
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Rivrfox
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My tercel:: 1984 Toyota Tercel 4wd DLX wagon
Location: PNW => VT

Re: my '84 Tercel4wd stolen today!

Post by Rivrfox »

:brotherlyhug:
1984 Toyota Tercel dlx wagon (new, un-named & in just lost heat)!
gnarnold
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My tercel:: 1983 SR5 4x4 with a tummy tuck and a nose job and now a pace maker!
Location: jordache ,ca

Re: my '84 Tercel4wd stolen today!

Post by gnarnold »

That is why I embrace being broke .why?let me count tbe ways
1.I used to fight it ,think down on myself about it then I realized , hey if you never have it you won't miss it .
2.when Financial collapse happens and everyone is freaking out because they don't have any of the modern indulgences that come with having money , I'll be ahead of the game .because I will have already had been used to being poor .
3.no one asks for stuff ,i.e. money ,asking to borrow things .cause I don't have either of the two .
4Don't have to worry people are my friends just for my money .
5.if I lose my wallet I don't have to worry about identity theft because there is no financial gain in being me .no credit. No potencial net worth .
Just to name a few .
I used to laugh at the man with a pinto :lol: , until I became a humble servicer of a tercel :|
gnarnold
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Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2014 7:28 am
My tercel:: 1983 SR5 4x4 with a tummy tuck and a nose job and now a pace maker!
Location: jordache ,ca

Re: my '84 Tercel4wd stolen today!

Post by gnarnold »

I some how feel better all the sudden .thanks guys !
I used to laugh at the man with a pinto :lol: , until I became a humble servicer of a tercel :|
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